(FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.) – In an effort to help worthy organizations during the spring semester, the USA South Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) developed, "Pennies for a Purpose", in 2008. This year's community service initiative, in its ninth year, began as the student-athletes returned from winter break. The schools had until April 6th to collect loose change which would later be donated to an organization of their choosing. The end of this year's initiative coincides with the NCAA's sixth-annual Division III Week.

Overall, the USA South institutions collected a record $16,072.03! Helping the Conference achieve the new record was the fact that 13 institutions (Agnes Scott, Averett, Covenant, Ferrum, Greensboro, Huntingdon, LaGrange, Mary Baldwin, Meredith, Methodist, Salem, Wesleyan and William Peace) improved on their totals from the previous year while nine of those institutions (Agnes Scott, Averett, Covenant, Ferrum, Huntingdon, LaGrange, Methodist, Salem and Wesleyan) established program records for funds collected. Over the ten-year history of the program, the USA South institutions have donated $58,327.96 to local organizations. 

With a grand total of $4,511.00, Averett is the Pennies for a Purpose champion for the third consecutive year. The amount the Cougars raised is the highest single-year total collected in the history of this competition. Averett will be re-presented the Pennies for a Purpose plaque at a later date. Methodist raised $3,566.54 to finish second with the third-highest single-year total collected. In third place was LaGrange with $2,008.00 raised which is the seventh-highest single-year amount collected. Rounding out the top-four was Huntingdon who collected $1,145.30.

This is the second community service program developed by the USA South Conference SAAC as the "Cans Across the Conference" food drive, which takes place during the Thanksgiving holiday, was created in 2004. Through that campaign, USA South Institutions have donated a total of 389,266 items to their local communities. Averett was also victorious in that competition for the second consecutive year by collecting 14,142 items.

Below is a list of the local organizations where the USA South institutions donated their collections:

Agnes Scott College - LineLine Animal Project
Averett University - Split between The Jimmy V Foundation, Rape Abuse Incest National Network (RAINN) and the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation.
Covenant College - Chattanooga, Tennessee Sports Ministries.
Ferrum College - Split between the Roanoke Carilion Children's Hospital and the Ferrum Elementary Backpack Program.
Greensboro College - Greensboro Urban Ministries.
Huntingdon College - Mountain Tough Organization
LaGrange College - "Miles4Myanmar", Humanitarian aid to orphans and the helpless of Myanmar.
Mary Baldwin University - "$5.55 Feminine Hygiene Drive", supplying 25 local homeless teenagers with a one-month supply of necessary hygiene products.
Maryville College - The Kay Yow Foundation.
Meredith College - National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Methodist University - The Kay Yow Foundation.
N.C. Wesleyan College - "Gift of Life" Bone Marrow Registry.
Salem College - Make A Wish Foundation.
Wesleyan College - Georgia Special Olympics to help fund the Summer Special Olympics in Atlanta.
William Peace University - Wake County, North Carolina SPCA.

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